Diffuser



Jan. 9, 1934. w J. ORCHARD DIFFUSER Filed May 27, 1951 1J.. A TTORNEYPatented 9, 1934 uN-rrsbI STATES PATENT OFFICE Wallace da lTiernan Comblny, Inc., Belleville,

N. J., a corporation o! New York Application May 27, 1931. Serial No.540,490 i1 claim.. (ci. 21o-2s) This invention'relates to diiusers fordischarging gas in a nely divided state into a liquid. In the directapplication of chlorin gas lto water it has been the practice todischarge the gas, sup- 5 plied under suitable pressure, through means,usually a finely porous wall, whereby the gas is diilused into the waterin the condition of-small bubbles. Difficulty has been experienced insuch direct application of chlorin to water duc to the l@ formation ofchlorin hydrate when the temperature oi the water is as low as 40. Thischlorin hydrate takes a more or less solid form and tends to clog theminute passages of the diuser, reducing the outow of the chlorin gas andeven M5 entirely stopping such outflow. This results not only inreducing or entirely stopping the supply of chlorin to the water, but incase of complete stoppage, :may evenresult in such building up ofpressure within the diiuser head as to cause 2i? breakage' of thediffuser wall, the wall being usually formed of porous alundum or othermaterial not having great strength.

The principal object of the present invention is to overcome thesediiliculties by preventing the formation of chlorin hydrate in or on thediffuser so that in the operation of the diffuser the full how ofchlorin to the water in which the diifuser is submerged will bemaintained under all temperature conditions. To this end I provide, inaccordance with the invention, heating means associated with thediffuser so as to maintain the temperature of the gas as it comes intocontact with the water sufliciently to prevent harmful clogging of thediffuser by the formation of chlorin hydrate. Most desirably, the heatsupplied will be suilicient to entirely prevent the formation of chlorinhydrate in or closely adjacent tothe diffuser. The heating means is mostdesirably an electric heating unit comprising a resistance wire forgenerating heat by the passage of an electric current through it. Thediffuser is most desirably in the form of a hollow body or head with theheating unit located within it. In order to avoid destruction of theheating unitirom contact to chlorin gas therewith, the unit must eitherbe of material resistant to chlorin, such as platinum wire, or must beprotected against access of. the chlorin thereto. Suchprotection may beaccomplished in various ways, as by coating the resistance wire withceramic enamel, or; and preferably, by locating the heatingunit within atube of silver or other chlorin resistant material which extends 5 intothe diffuser head through the tube by which the diffuser is carried andthrollsh which chloringas is supplied.

Other objects vof the invention are to provide a heated diffuserapparatus which, while of simple construction, shall be reliable inoperation and have its parts readily accessible and which isconveniently set and removed from operating position.

A full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment thereof, and such a descriptionwill now be given in connection with the accompanying drawing whichshows in axial `section an illustrative apparatus according to theinvention mounted on a water main partly shown in transverse section.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown at d a part ofthe wall of awater main through which the water to be purified by the diffusion ofchlorin therein flows under more or less pressure. Pi'he diffuser 10,which is submerged in the howing water in the main. is carried by a tube1l, of silver or other suitable chlorin resistant material, whichextends into the water main through an opening in the wall thereof andthrough a suitable valve device such as a corporation cock l2. v Mountedwithin the tube ll, is an inner tube l5 which is also of silver or otherchlorin resistant material, and which extends down into the diffuser.This inner tube is of an external diameter somewhat less than theinternal diameter of the outerltube ll1 so as to leave between the tubesa passage 16 for the iiow of chlorin gas to the diffuser. The lower endof the inner tube is closed by a plug 17 brazed into the end 90 of thetube and having a projecting threaded end portion. 'I'he upper ends ofthe two tubes are brazed or otherwise securely fastened in an internallybored and shouldered head block 20 which closes the upper end of theannular 95 passage between the two tubes and provides through the upperend of its bore access to the upper end of the inner tube. For supplyingthe chlorin gas to the annular passage 16a supply tube 21 is connectedinto an opening in the head block 20 communicating with the upper end ofsaid passage. The chlorin gas may be supplied at the desired pressurefrom any suitable supply apparatus in the usual manner, the supply linebeing provided with the usual shut-olf and check valves.

The diffuser 10 may be of any suitable construction for accomplishingthe desired diffusion of the gas into the surrounding water, having forthis purpose a wall of suitable porous chlorin ren.

sistant {material such as alundum. Most desirably, the diffuser, asshown, is formed by a cylindrical shell of the diffusing materialclamped between a collar 25 brazed or otherwise securely attached nearthe inner end of the tube 11 and a cap 26 screwed on to the threaded endof the plug 17, packing gaskets 27 and 28 being provided between theends of the diffuser shell and the collar 25 and cap 26, respectively.

A heating unit 30 is provided within the inner tube 15, and mostdesirably in the end portion of the tube within the diffuser shell, andis connected to a source of electric current by means of a cable 31containing feed and return wires 32 and 33 and extending from theheating unit through the tube 15. The heating unit may be of anysuitable construction having a resistance element for supplying heat onthe passage of electric current through it. The drawing shows a unit ofwell known construction in which a resistance wire is coiled on a coreof refractory non-conducting material mounted within a metal sheath. Theunit should be of suiilcient heating capacity according to the size ofthe diffuser and the amount of chlorin to be passed through thediffuser. A unit of from 25 to 50 watts capacity has been found amplefor an ordinary size diffuser handling from 50 to '75 lbs. of gas perday.

Connected in the circuit to the heating unit is an indicating device forshowing when current is flowing to the unit. Any suitable indicatingdevice such as a galvanometer or an electric light bulb 34, as shown,may be used for this purpose.

To provide for convenient positioning and removal of the diffuserassembly as thus described, an extension sleeve 40 is secured by acoupling 41 to the end of sleeve 42 which carries the corporation cock12. A stuiling box at the outer end of the sleeve 40, comprising a gland43 and packing 44 seated against a collar 45 within the sleeve 40,serves -to hold the diffuser carrying tube 11 in position and toYprevent escape of water from the main when the diffuser is in positionand the cock 12 open, and also permits the tube to be slid within thesleeve 40 and 'through the cock 12 to move the diffuser down intooperative position or to withdraw it past the cock into the sleeve 40.

The diffuser assembly may thus be readily removed from or mountedoperatively with relation tothe main 5./ In order to remove the devicefrom the main. the head block 20 and tube 11 are drawn outward until thediffuser head is drawn up into the sleeve 40 entirely beyond the cock12, the stuing box gland 43 being loosened, if necessary, to permit easymovement of the tube therethrough. The cock may then be closed and thecoupling 41 unscrewed to disconnect the sleeve 40 from the valve sleeve42. To mount the diuser in position within lthe main, the operation isreversed, that is, the sleeve 40 with the tube 11 extending through itsstuillng box and with the diffuser head drawn back within the sleeve, isconnected to the valve sleeve 42, and then the valve is opened and thetube pushed down to carry the diffuser to the desired position withinthe water main.

With the apparatus constructed as shown, the heating unit 30 may bewithdrawn from the diffuser and from the tube structure by means of theconducting cable 31, and may be returned to position within the innertube and diffuser by lowering it or pushing it through the inner tube tothe desired position.

Because of the-possibility of water entering the inner tube undercertain conditions of use of the apparatus, it is desirable that thecable 31 and the heating unit itself shall be of waterproofconstruction, and under some conditions of use it may, in order toprevent access of water to the inner tube, be desirable to provide asuitable removable closure for the top of the inner tube.

When the apparatus is in use, chlorin gas being supplied through thesupply tube 21 and thence through the annular passage 16 to the diffuserhead, and electric current being supplied to the heating unit, thetemperature of the gas as it passes through the diffuser wall will, byheat supplied by the unit, be maintained so as to prevent the formationof chlorin hydrate in or at the diffuser and consequent clogging of thepassages through the diffuser wall under all conditions of temperatureof the surrounding water. Even when the supply of chlorin isinterrupted, the supply of heat by the unit will be of advantage inheating water which seeps through the diffuser wall and backs up intothe annular supply passage 16. This water coming in contact with chloringas within the diffuser chamber and the passage 16 would, if cold, formchlorin hydrate, which would then clog the diffuser when chlorination isagain started. By having the water which enters the diffuser heated,such formation of chlorin hydrate is prevented.

Suitable current control means may, of course, be provided for renderingthe heating unit operative or inoperative as desired, and for varyingthe amount of heat generated by the unit. As above pointed out, if theheating unit and feed cable are of chlorin resisting material or areotherwise protected, the double tube construction may be dispensed with.The inner tube is of ad.

vantage, however, not only for protecting the heating unit and cablefrom the chlorin, but because it provides for convenient mounting andremoval of the heating unit. It also makes a more rigid construction, sothat the outer tube may be thinner than would otherwise be suitable.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact construction shown andto which the foregoing description has been largely confined, butincludes changesand modifications thereof within.

the claims. f What is claimed is: o

1. Apparatus for discharging Sas into liquid, comprising a diffuser tobe immersed in the liquid, and means for supplying heat to the diffuseradaptedv to maintain the diffuser at a temperature higher than that ofthe surrounding liquid.

2. Apparatus for discharging gas into liquid, comprising a diffuser tobe immersed in the liquid, and a heating unit associated with thediffuser adapted to maintain the diffuser at a temperature higher thanthat of the surrounding.,

liquid.

3. Apparatus for discharging gas into liquid. comprising a diffuserformed to provide a gas chamber having a wall of porous material, and aheating unit mounted close to said wall.

4. Apparatus for discharging gas into liquid, comprisinga diffuserformed to provide a gas chamber and having an enclosing wall of porousmaterial, and a heating unit within the diffuser.

5. Chlorinating apparatus, comprising a discharge device for diffusingchlorin gas into water, and heating means associated with said dischargedevice adapted to maintain the discharge ios device at a temperaturehigher than that o! the surrounding water.

6. The combination with a diiruser to be suhmerged in water to whichchlorin is to be applied, of means for supplying chlorin gas underpressure to the diiuser, and means for supplying heat to the diiuseradapted to maintain the diffuser at a temperature higher than that oithe surrounding water.

'7. The combination with a diuaer to he submerged in. water to whichchlorin is to be applied, of means for supplying chlorin gas underpressure tothe diffuser, and an electric heating unit associated withthe diiiuser adapted to maintain the diffuser at a temperature higherthan that oi? the surrounding water.

8. Chlorin discharge apparatus, comprising a diffuser formed to providea gas chamber having a porous wall, an electric heating unit mountedwithin the diuser, and means for supplying chlorin gas under pressure tothe diiiuser.

' 9. Chlorin discharge apparatus, comprising a diiuser having acylindrical porous wall, a tube by which the diuser is carried, a tubeof less diameter mounted within the carrying tube and closed at itsinner end, means at the outer ends of the tubes closing the passagebetween the tubes, a heater within the inner tube, and means forsupplying chlorin gas to the passage between the tubes. i

10. chlorin discharge apparatus. comprising a diiuser having acylindrical porous wall, a tube bywhichthediuseriscarriedatubeotlessdiameter mounted within the carrying tube extending into the diuser andclosed at `its inner end, means at the outer ends ot the tubes closingthe passage between the tubes. an electric heating unit within the inner-tube at its lower end within the difluser, and means for supplyingchlorin gas to the passage between the tubes.

11. ChIorinating apparatus, comprising in combination with a waterconduit, a tubular iltting connected to the conduit at an opening in theconduit wall and provided with a valve formed to leave when open apassage straight through the itting, a sleeve detachably connected tosaid iitting and having a stumng box at its outer end, a chlorindischarge device comprising a carrying tube and a diffuser carriedthereby, said tube beingv mounted in and slidable in' said stuillng boxto permit the diffuser to be moved into operative position within theconduit and to be withdrawn into said sleeve, means for supplyingchlorin gas to the outer end of said tube. and an electric heatingunit'mounted within the diiluaer fed by acable leading through said tubeand from the outerA end thereof.

